A Little Help From A Certain Pirate
by Brittany Diamond
Summary: Post AWE: Will's voyage has turned him wicked. Liz wants to help her husband, but needs Jack to do it. It's more complicated than it sounds. Twists, humor, drama, action, rum, and much more. I tried to be as true to the characters as possible. J.E pairing
1. Chapter One: Changed

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: There's plenty of Jack, I promise, but you've gotta set up the story, right? ;)**

**Chapter One: Changed**

Elizabeth took her son's hand and smiled gently, the sight of Will's ship after all these years both relaxing and nerve wrecking. The wind caught her long hair and blew it back over her shoulders as she looked down at Jim, her pride and joy. At just nine years old he was the spitting image of his father and just as daring.

"Mama," he asked in his little, but strong voice, "That's his ship, right?"

"Yes, it is. He'll get to shore and come to meet us. Now remember, we only have today to spend with him, so listen closely to what he says and make every moment seem like an hour."

Her grip on her son's hand tightened as the boat docked on the shore. Ten years of waiting, ten years of raising a child by herself, ten years of faithfulness, ten years of life had built up inside of her. On more than one occasion she wasn't sure if her sanity could take it, but all she needed to do was look at Jim and her motivation became crystal clear.

Squinting her eyes, she watched as a boat load of men exited the ship. She searched for Will among them, taking an absent minded step forward.

Then there he was, walking with his men.

Her chest tightened with excitement as she waved and hollered his name. When he didn't look up she was sure he hadn't heard. Strange, she thought he'd be looking around for her at least, but he never so much as glanced at his surroundings. She watched him go into town and her smile faded.

"Why didn't he look up?" Jim asked, his eyes on where his father used to be.

"I don't know," she answered, half to herself. "I'll take you back home and go find him."

"But I wanna go!"

She turned and started heading down the opposite side of the hill. "No, darling, if he didn't look up then something must be wrong."

At least, she hoped something was wrong.

Elizabeth and Jim picked up their walking pace when their comfortable, two story home came into view. She already had her plan all laid out in her head: She would leave Jim in the house, instructing him to stay hidden away, while she put on a coat and hid her face as she rushed into town to find Will. Why hadn't he rushed up to them when he docked? She was sure he saw them as the boat drifted ashore. None of it made any sense, and she was dead set on finding out what the hell was going on.

The plan changed when they walked in the front door.

The foyer was filled with dirty, smelly, worn out pirates. None of them had smiles on their faces. Elizabeth pushed Jim behind her and went to run out the door, but a pirate slid behind them and closed the exit in one smooth motion, blocking their only route to freedom.

She refused to show any signs of fear as she moved Jim to the front of her, her hands on his shoulders. "Where's Will?" she asked, locking eyes with every last cursed man in the room.

She recognized the men from ten years ago, it was the Flying Dutchman's crew. No one answered her, but the crowd parted and Will stepped forward. Elizabeth's eyes widened and she took a step back. There was something different about her husband, something dark. His eyes held no warmth and his lips held no smile.

Will stood proudly in front of his men, his hands behind his back. "Hello Elizabeth."

"What's happening?" she asked, struggling to keep her composure, "What's wrong?"

A small, lifeless grin tugged at his cheek. "Nothing's wrong. I need something from you."

"What's happened to you?"

His eyes narrowed as he clenched his teeth. "Ten years of transporting the dead happened to me."

Her mind was racing. "But…it's me. It's Elizabeth."

"That makes no fucking difference."

His words punched her in the stomach and she bit her bottom lip. "What's going on?"

"I gave you something of mine a few years ago," he began, starting towards her slowly, "I need it back."

Without realizing it, her grip on her son tightened. "No."

"I won't ask so nicely next time," he warned, his hand grazing the sword at his side, "I warn you, Elizabeth, you have no idea who I am."

"You're Will Turner!" she shrieked, unable to hold back tears any longer, "I'm your wife! You love me!"

"Enough trifling," he said, withdrawing his sword in a flash and holding it against her neck, "Anything I did last time I was on land, I did when I was a fool."

Every muscle in her body was tense as she spoke through clenched teeth. "Anything you did the last time you were on land, you did when you were sane."

"Where's my heart, Elizabeth? Where are you hiding it?"

"Why do you want it so badly?"

He leaned in close to her face. "Because I'd rather look like Davey Jones for eternity than have to endure another decade of servitude! Now where in God's name is my heart!"

"_Let her go!_"

Will looked down for the first time and met eyes with Jim. "Who is this?" the captain of the Flying Dutchman inquired.

Elizabeth looked down. "He's your son."

Will thought for a moment, then grabbed the boy by the shirt and wrenched him away from his mother's grasp. Elizabeth screamed as Will held his sword up to his son's neck. Two pirates had to hold her arms to keep her from seizing Will.

"Hand over my heart or the boy bleeds to death before your eyes," Will demanded.

Elizabeth closed her eyes for a moment, breathing deeply to try and steady herself. She held up her hands to signal her surrender, and the pirates let her go. She pushed past a few men to get into the living room, crouching down in the center of the space and pushing down on a plank of wood, which made the other side raise up. She moved the 2x4 and the ones lying beside it to reveal the chest that had been hiding beneath them. She hoisted it up and let it fall to the floor beside her, standing up and whirling around to look at Will. As their eyes locked, Will let go of Jim and crossed over to the chest, his stare flat and stale. Taking the key out from around his neck, he unlocked the chest and peeked inside. Satisfied with what he saw, he closed the chest, locked it, and picked it up.

As he breezed by Elizabeth and headed for the front door he called out to his men, "Tie them both to the chairs and gag their throats."


	2. Chapter Two: And a Bottle of Rum

**Chapter Two: …And a Bottle of Rum**

Elizabeth stood at the front of the ship, staring blankly out over the sparkling water. The day of Will's return had come and gone and now, three days later, she was setting forth on the only plan she could come up with to try and get Will back. The problem was that the only plan she was left with was a true shot in the dark, and she didn't like relying on something uncertain when it came to getting Will back to normal.

Then again, she didn't like relying on Jack Sparrow for anything.

She'd tried to think of another solution, but all she came up with was Jack. If there was anyone who knew how to get out of a predicament, it was the former captain of the Black Pearl. As much as she didn't want to admit it, she needed him.

Snapping out of her trance, she saw that the ship was about to dock. As she looked around the harbor she realized something she should've figured out a long time ago: Tortuga was Jack Sparrow in town form.

Elizabeth pushed past the countless drunkards, searching the crowd for either Jack himself or someone who knew him. Even in the huge tavern she was crammed up against everyone. If she didn't find someone soon, she was sure she'd either go crazy from claustrophobia or throw up from the smell.

At last, someone caught her eye.

"Gibbs!" she yelled, trying wave to the man at the table in the corner, "Gibbs, it's Elizabeth! _Gibbs_!"

The pirate had heard something, for his head snapped up from his beverage and his eyes began to scan the crowd. She called for him again and shoved her way throw the last wall of laughing people, stumbling forward and running into the table.

"By my blessed arse," Gibbs said as he stood up, "Elizabeth Turner, it's been nigh ten years!"

She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tight for a moment before taking a step back to look him in the face, "It's good to see you."

"What brings ye to these parts? If I be remeberin' correctly, yer love for rum was not as fervent as most."

She smiled. "I haven't come for the rum," her expression grew solemn, "I've come for help, actually."

"Anythin' you need I'll do me best to provide."

She swallowed hard. "Jack."

"I thought ye said alcohol wasn't on yer mind?"

She couldn't help but smile. "Captain."

"What do you be needin' Jack for?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I think he's the only one who can help me." Without realizing it, her voice lowered, "Something's wrong with Will."

He motioned for her to have a seat. "Do explain, miss."

"His one day ashore was a few days ago," she began as both she and Gibbs took a seat, "And he didn't even look up at us as he docked, he simply came ashore and went straight into town."

"How do you mean 'us?'"

She grinned proudly. "I have a nine year old son named Jim."

"Ye must be jokin'!" He grabbed two bottles of rum from the nearest tray and held one out to her. "This calls for a toast of rum!"

They clinked glasses and she took a small sip. "Something's wrong with Will. The years at sea changed him."

"Aye, the sea will do that to a man."

"But I need to find a way to get him back," she said, her tone growing with urgency, "I've been living for nothing but my son and Will's one day on land for ten years, I can't lose either of them. Please, do you know where Jack is?"

The burly man let out a small sigh. "Jack's been searching for some item all these years, nobody knows what. He comes to Tortuga every few months and wallows in rum for a week or two before heading back out to the sea in a ship he acquired some years ago."

"So he's a Captain again?"

"As far as he's concerned, he never stopped bein' one."

"But a Captain without a ship-"

"Is just a Captain without a ship, according to Jack." He thought for a moment. "It made more sense when he said it."

"When was he here last?"

"Oh, I believe it was a couple of months ago. His visits have been running closer and closer together over the past couple of years so there's really no tellin' when he'll show up."

"I'll stay here until he shows up, then. Could you spread the word that I'm looking for him, and to let me know the second he's sighted?"

"'Tis done."

Elizabeth stood from her seat and leaned forward, hugging Gibbs. "I owe you."

"Nonsense."

As she straightened up, a question came into her head. "If Jack's out looking for treasure, why aren't you with him?"

"Oh, I retired from the sea life. The love of a good woman will either take the adventurer straight out of a man or fuel it. My Sarah robbed me of my sea legs." He saw her look of disappointment and smirked. "I still go out every now and then, if Jack needs me for something particular. Don't ye worry, I'm happier than I've ever been."

Elizabeth said goodbye to the pirate and left the tavern. She hated the thought of sitting around and waiting for Jack for who knows how long, but at this point she had no choice.

Seven weeks passed without so much as a rumor around town that Captain Jack was back, and it was starting to wear on Elizabeth's resolve. She had put Jim in a boarding school before she left for Tortuga, unsure of how long it would take her to get Will back to normal and, even though they wrote each other regularly she missed him horribly and hated the thought of him being cooped up all day.

She got out of her rock hard hotel bed and pulled on a clean dress. She'd seen every inch of town at least four times, having nothing else to do but walk and explore. She tried to keep busy by helping shop owners and passersby with whatever they happened to need at the moment, but even then she was always fully aware that she was waiting for Jack, and that he hadn't arrived yet.

Opening the one small window she had in her room, she looked out over Tortuga, amazed at how the streets were full of drunks and the sun hadn't even fully set yet. She'd tried to get some sleep, but lately she'd found that sleeping was an even greater task then when it was the last week before Will's day on land.

She didn't notice the man under her window waving a lantern until her yelled her name. She jumped at the sudden noise and looked down to find a scrawny man with a long beard jumping and flailing to get her attention.

Once he saw that she was looking at him he calmed down and yelled up to her. "Is that Mrs. Elizabeth Turner?!"

She leaned forward. "Aye!"

"A Mr. Gibbs sent me!" he called in his gravelly voice, "He sent me to tell ye that Captain Jack is back! He's at the Traveling Mermaid!"

Her eyes widened, she called out a thank you, then she fled from her room and out of the hotel. In her many days wandering around town she'd found the Traveling Mermaid only once, but she knew exactly where it was. It took her a good ten minutes to sprint to the tavern, spotting the huge wooden mermaid that sat on top of the joint from a quarter mile away. When she dashed into the Traveling Mermaid she had to lean against the wall for a moment to catch her breath.

Her chest heaving, she tried to call his name. "Jack…Sparrow!" Swallowing gulps of air, she tried to get more power behind her voice. "Captain…Jack Sparrow!"

She pushed her way through the crowd, standing on her toes most of the time in an attempt to see over the crowd. After getting to the dead center of the place, someone finally answered her.

"Yer lookin' for Captain Jack?!" A bald, portly man asked as he bumped into her.

She nodded, still trying to catch her breath. "Yes."

He motioned over his shoulder. "He went out back a few minutes ago."

She thanked him and pushed her way to the back of the tavern. It took her a moment to find the small back door, and once she did she threw herself against it, bursting out into the alley. Her eyes scanned the area, and when she found nothing she let out a sigh of exasperation.

"Jack!" she yelled, looking both ways down the alley.

When there was no answer she cursed under her breath, trying to decide what to do next.

"_Yo ho ho and a bottle of…_"

The disembodied voice made her jump and she looked around, searching for the voices owner.

"_Dum de de dum…and really bad eggs…_"

An empty bottle landed right next to her just then, exploding on impact and spraying her dress with shattered glass. A small scream of surprise escaped her lips and she stepped away from the tavern, turning to look up on the roof.

Standing on the roof in all his glory, with a half empty bottle of rum in his hand, was Captain Jack Sparrow. He was staring off into the sky, half talking half singing to himself.

"Jack?" Elizabeth called.

The Captain jumped at the sound of his name and looked down, squinting his eyes. "Is that little Miss Turner?"

"I need your help."

"Don't we all?" he quipped, taking a swig of rum.

"It's about Will," she continued, staying serious.

"Oh, is our precious Will in danger yet again?"

"Not exactly. Can you come down here?" As if on que, he slipped and tumbled from the roof, landing flat on his back in front of Elizabeth. "That's not quite what I meant." She knelt down beside him, tilting her head. "You really haven't changed at all."

"Shows what you know," he insisted, pushing himself up to his elbows and looking at her through glazed, rum-soaked eyes. "Now, what is it you want with me?"

She gave him a once over and realized how foolish she had been. "Nothing," she replied, and stood up to leave.

"No, no, you came all this way just to get my services so what is it you want with me?"

She crossed her arms. "I need you to help Will."

He scoffed and pushed himself into his normal, wobbly stance, his voice taking on a bitter tone. "I've done quite enough in the name of Mr. and Mrs. Turner, thank you." He turned on his heel and started to saunter away.

She darted in front of him and cut off his exit. "Leading the Flying Dutchman has changed him into a cruel man and I need your help to change him back, and why are you acting so ill toward him anyway?"

"Because I would have everything I want if I hadn't have been so generous as to let your beloved Will kill Davey Jones," he answered.

Placing her hands on her hips, she stared him down. "And what, exactly, do you want?"

He hesitated for a moment, eyeing her carefully. Stepping behind her and leaning in close to her ear, he held his hands out in front of her in a grand fashion before saying, "Immortality." He took a moment to let that sink in before continuing. "The fountain of youth is out there somewhere and I'm the only man with the map."

"Then why haven't you found it yet?" she asked, keeping her eyes straight ahead.

"Because a bunch of silly people made the blasted map too confusing to follow. Goodnight."

As he started to walk off again, she turned around and said, "Can't you just use that compass of yours?" Jack stopped dead in his tracks and she grinned to herself. "Ah, so the great Captain Jack Sparrow doesn't know what he wants? Hasn't this happened before?"

He spun around to face her, losing his balance for only a moment. "You insist on knowing everything, don't you?"

"Help Will."

"Why should I?"

"It'll take your mind of the fountain of youth for a while."

"Oh yes, well, that's very interesting but I'm not interested."

He turned, yet again, and started to leave. Fed up, she ran to him, grabbed him by the arm, and spun him around to face her.

She got right in his face. "I'm asking you to look past your bruised ego and your broken heart for five seconds, is that really too much to ask?"

He stared solemnly for a moment before a small grin tugged at the corner of his mouth. "And why, bonnie lass, would my heart be broken?"

She clenched her fists to keep her strength up. "I chose Will."

"And that would effect me…how?"

Her eyes narrowed. "I chose Will and not you."

"I wasn't aware that I was up for such a position. Besides, in order for my heart to be broken someone else would have to possess it. I don't remember giving it to anyone in particular, do you?"

"Can you help Will or not?" she asked, taking a step back.

He tilted his head to the sky, pondering. "I believe I know someone," he began, his eyes looking down at her without moving his head, "but it's a good week's sail away."

"Whatever it takes. I'll send word to Jim."

He raised an eyebrow. "Jim who?"

She didn't know why, but she panicked. "The butler."

"Oh right, yes, of course, I have to tell the gardener to water the roses while I'm gone as well." When she didn't crack a smile, he continued. "Be at the harbor at dawn and we'll go find out why the famous Will Turner has lost his charms, eh?"

"Where are we going?"

"Just a little island to the west, nothing spectacular."

He started walking off again, and this time she let him leave.


	3. Chapter Three: The Captain's Quarters

**Chapter Three: The Captain's Quarters**

Elizabeth stood on the dock with her small suitcase, tapping her toe impatiently. It was well past dawn and there was no sign of Jack, though she didn't know why she was so surprised that he had flaked out. If there was ever a soul that was undependable, it was-

She felt two hands reach up from behind her and cover her eyes. Someone's mouth grazed her ear and their warm breath sent goose bumps over the flesh of her neck. Her breath caught in her chest as the person spoke.

"Take a guess, little miss Turner."

She set her jaw. "You're late, Jack."

He held up his hands in a truce in front of her and took a step back. "I remember the days when you were fun."

She turned and looked him directly in the eye. "I'd like to say I remember the days when you were dependable but there never _were_ any."

"Well somebody woke up with their claws out," he said, flashing a smile.

"Show me the ship before I change my mind."

"Alright, alright, follow me." Both of their eyes traveled down the suitcase that rested on the dock between them, then back up to each other. He held out his hands, showing her both the back and palms. "Despite the strong appearance they're actually quite fragile."

He walked off, and she rolled her eyes as she picked up her bag and followed him. They weaved in and out of the crowd, Jack avoiding people as if he were dancing and Elizabeth just trying to stay on her feet, her hair constantly getting in her face and blocking her view.

She actually got a good look at her surroundings when the wind picked up and cleared the hair away from her eyes. Looking around, she saw that they were no longer anywhere near the dock.

She dropped her suitcase and stood her ground, crossing her arms. "Where are we going, Jack?"

The captain turned, saw her unhappiness, and let out a short groan. "Must you throw a fit _every time_ something's a miss for a few seconds? Whatever happened to your sense of adventure? Ten years ago you were swashing the buckle with the rest of us pirates." When she didn't reply, he gave up and motioned over his shoulder. "The ship is just around the bend, love. I relieved it from a gent in town and if I parade it around the much populated dock he shall not only find his ship, but the man who relieved it. Savvy?"

She picked up her bag and they continued on. When they finally got around the sharp edge of the island, his ship came into view and she squinted her eyes to study it. The vessel wasn't as large and menacing as the Black Pearl, but it wasn't as dainty as an East India Trading Company ship either. It was either sturdy or pathetic, but Elizabeth couldn't quite decide which.

"Not very pleasing to the eye," she commented as they stepped onto the beach.

"Not very pleasing to the eye," he mimicked, keeping his eyes straight ahead, "It might not be the most flashy ship in these waters but it's strong as a fortress and only takes five men to properly operate." He whirled around suddenly, causing her to bump into him. "What's this sudden preoccupation with size, anyway? Does Mr. Turner-"

"Stop," she commanded, putting her hand over his mouth, "No more lewd comments, no more sick jokes, none of it. I'm a married woman now, a domesticate. I should be treated as such."

His eyes looked deep into hers, glinting with mischief. "What my lady wishes," he said, his voice muffled by her hand, "My lady acquires."

His lips puckered briefly and kissed the palm of her hand. She jerked away and picked up her bag, keeping her head down as she pushed past him and headed toward row boat that would take them to the ship. Feeling her cheek, she slapped herself gently. If he saw her flushed cheeks, she'd never hear the end of his nonsense.

When Elizabeth's feet landed on the deck of the ship, a terrifying thought came into her head. Before she had another moment to think, Jack landed behind her and called for his men to gather around. All five of the crew members stood in a line, at full attention.

"Men," Jack began, hands behind his back and nose in the air, "there's been a slight change of plans for the time being. This lovely woman here has requested my assistance and I have accepted said request."

"Do we get to know where we're goin' this time, cap'n?" one of the pirates asked.

Jack thought for a moment before replying. "Aye."

Another pirate spoke up, "Will the woman be comin' with us, cap'n?"

"Aye," Jack responded, clearing his throat.

The five crew members started whispering among themselves at the thought of a woman cursing the boat with her presence. Elizabeth shot the Captain a look of disdain and he quieted his men down.

"A woman on board is nothing to get your skirts in a twist over, gentlemen," Jack said, putting his arm around Elizabeth's shoulders, "Think of it this way: You'll have a much better view for the next couple of weeks." When he saw that men agreed with this concept he yelled, "Now off to yer stations, we're heading north, northeast!"

The men scattered to their duties and Elizabeth shrugged off his arm. "I have a question, Captain," she said.

Jack swiped off his hat and bowed low, "I am an open book."

"Where am I sleeping?"

He stayed in his bow, but looked up at her, the slightest hint of a sinful grin pulling at his mouth. Remembering his promise, he straightened out his expression and stood upright.

"I leave the choice up to the lady, as always: in the Captain's chambers or with the crew?"

"I think the obvious choice would be the Captain's quarters," she said.

He brightened up instantly, "Splendid! I do enjoy company."

"Jack," she warned.

He turned his smile into a cough, "Yes, of course, the Captain's quarters all to your lonesome. I'll show you the way in only the way an upright gentlemen would."

"When have you _ever_ been upright?" When he went to answer with a smile on his face she held up her hand, "Stop. Unless you have an answer that won't make my skin crawl I advise that you keep your mouth closed, for once in your life."

He didn't speak, but merely smiled and waved her in the direction of the Captain's quarters. Shifting her weight, she shoved her luggage into his arms as she passed. Stumbling back, he took the case into his arms and watched her enter the cabin.

Elizabeth opened the door to what would be her room for the next few weeks and instantly regretted it. The entire chamber was covered in at least an inch of grime and the floor was littered with so many odds, ends and empty rum bottles that she could barely see the floor.

"A home away from home, is it not?"

She jumped at his voice as he passed by her, tossing her suitcase on the desk, then turning and presenting the space to her. "Marvelous, aye?"

"It could stand a few…improvements," she replied, shifting her shoulders and grimacing at the floor.

He noticed her unimpressed expression and started kicking things to the side, his motions so loose he almost fell over a couple of times. When there was a small walkway from Elizabeth's feet to the bed, with a similar trail branching off to the dresser, he presented the room to her once again.

"Yes!" he said triumphantly.

She shook her head. "No."

He dropped his arms, his smile becoming a bit tighter. "I miss the adventurous Liz. What happened, eh? Did you wake up one morning and decide to piss away your fun side and sit on a stick?"

Her jaw dropped. "Jack! You've never said anything so hurtful to me!"

The hurt look on her face weakened his resolve, but he refused to show it. "You can't be angry at the truth, love…gets you nowhere."

"Get out," she stated flatly, stepping aside to give him plenty of room to exit.

He threw up his hands in frustration, "There's no talking to you."

He was gone a moment later, his exit accompanied by the door slamming behind him.


	4. Chapter Four: Real Chance or False Hope?

**Chapter Four:**

Elizabeth leaned her elbows on the stern of the boat, staring down at her hands. She was all alone on the ship at the moment, and rather liked it that way. According to Jack, the crew had checked their rum supply and had found it too depleted to their tastes, so they all dashed off to buy enough for the trip.

"Lousy drunkards," she muttered to herself.

She was enjoying the peace, but at the same time she detested being alone with herself. Whenever she had a spare moment to think, she always went back to Will's return in her mind, reliving every horrid moment. The look in her husband's eye, the fear in her son's expression. This wasn't how it was supposed to be. Will was supposed to come home, perfectly normal, and she was supposed to finally have the complete family she had dreamed of.

She sure as hell wasn't supposed to go bouncing around the ocean with a crew of plastered pirates and their insane leader, looking for an explanation as to why her husband went insane and how she change him back.

Tilting her head down, she bent over and rested her head on the hard wood, closing her eyes. She looked up and at the sky, trying to find some place to rest her eyes where she wouldn't see Will's face contorted with evil. She failed to do so.

Upon hearing the slurred speaking of a handful of sea men, Elizabeth turned around to see the crew boarding the ship, all of them pulling a huge cart full of barrels. She didn't have to think twice about it; those barrels were topped off with rum.

"At last, we have the proper supplies."

Elizabeth couldn't help but jump. Looking down, she found Captain Jack smiling proudly up at her from the bottom of the stairs. He let out a hearty sigh and sauntered about halfway up the staircase.

She squared her shoulders. "If by 'supplies' you mean 'ridiculous indulgence' then I'd be inclined to agree."

Instead of retorting in his usual manner, he simply looked at her and tilted his head. "I dare say that something rather wicked is responsible for the chill returning to the lady's voice."

"Yes, well," she began, swallowing hard and looking away, "responsibility will do that to you."

He took another step up. "And just what sort of responsibility are we discussing, my lady?"

"I had to keep Will's life on land alive," she answered, biting the inside of her lip, "that's a lot harder than it sounds."

"Oh yes, I'm sure it is."

Her eyes narrowed. "I don't need your sarcasm, Jack." An uncomfortable silence drifted between them, and she spoke in order to banish the feeling. "So where are we going, exactly? You haven't told me about who we're meeting."

"Oh, right," Jack replied, slapping his hands together, "yes, uh, just an old friend. Brilliant friend, solves everything. An acquaintance. He's got a bit of an interesting, um, hobby." He turned away from her and lowered his voice, mumbling something she couldn't quite hear.

Taking a step down, her voice took on a dangerous edge. "What did you say?"

He jumped as if he'd had no clue she had been there. "Just mumbling to m'self, love. After so many years at sea you soon find that you make your best company."

"I'm used to your tricks, I know how they work. Tell me exactly what's going on or I'm walking off this boat."

He looked down at his feet as if he were a small child. "…Ship," he corrected, kicking a stair gently.

"_Jack_," she warned.

"Alright, alright," he said, giving in and cursing under his breath, "There's a significant chance that, when we arrive to the little nothing of an island…he may not, actually, personally…be there. Himself."

"And where, prey tell, would he have gone?" she asked through clenched teeth.

"To his other home," he lowered his voice, "two month's sail away." When he saw her jaw drop he quickly added, "Oh no but it's fine, he probably can't help anyway."

He closed his eyes, realizing what he had just admitted. She walked down the steps, pushing him aside, and started heading for the plank that would lead her to shore.

"Lizzie!" Jack called in an exasperated tone, hurrying gracefully to catch up with her, "I said it wrong, let me try again! He knows everything there is about The Flying Dutchman and the curse that goes with it. He's the only crew member to escape from Davey Jones' grasp. It's not like you have much of a choice anyway!"

"Of course I do!" she yelled back stubbornly, continuing on her course.

When he saw that she was still heading for the plank, he called to his men, "Scallywags! All of the rum on this ship will be thrown overboard if the lady so much as takes a single step on that dock!"

In a flash, Elizabeth was blocked by five burly men just as she reached the plank. Try as she might, she couldn't press her way through the wall of pirates, and soon gave up. She turned to face Jack, who was now taking his time in catching up with her.

Her face was red and hot with anger. "A week's sail, you said! You told me you knew someone who could help Will!"

"Correction," he said, pointing to her with a limp wrist, "I said I knew _someone_. Whether or not he's of any use to you never escaped my lips."

She stared at him for a moment, then charged at him, tackling him to the ground and taking hold of his neck. As she choked the air out of him, she leaned down in order to get in his face.

"You slimy, slithering, liquor soaked," she grunted, "PIRATE!!!!"

The crewmembers pulled her off of the Captain and he sat up, coughing and sputtering. She fought the men for a while, but her strength was no match to theirs and she soon relented, her chest heaving with exhaustion.

"I want off of this boat!" she demanded.

Jack drew in a much needed breath, "_Ship_," he corrected with an exhale.

"Let me off, _now_."

Pushing himself to his feet he said, "Alright men, unhand the lass, she's no prisoner here." The crew let her go and she went to storm off of the ship, only to be stopped by Jack's words. "You'll need your luggage, will you not? Normally it wouldn't matter, but I don't believe my hips re quite as slender as yours. Your garments would be useless to me."

Clenching her teeth, she said nothing. Avoiding Jack's stare she marched over to the Captain's quarters and barged into the room, more than ready to grab her suitcase and be rid of the nightmare.

She stopped dead in the doorway, her body going very still.

The chamber was spotless.

There was no longer any grime, odds, ends, bottles, or any other clutter to be found in the room. The drapes had been pulled back, letting sunlight wash over the mopped floor and dusted furniture. Everything was polished and sparkling from the desk to the bed post, giving the room a soft glow of luxury. As her eyes scanned the room she noticed that her suitcase was resting up against the dresser. Almost in a trance, she crossed the room and picked up her luggage. When she felt that it was too light to be full, she set it on top of the dresser and opened it; only her intimate apparel remained. Her eyebrows furrowed with curiosity as she tentatively pulled opened the top dresser drawer to find her dressed neatly folded up and waiting for her. Not only had he unpacked for her, but he had been enough of a gentlemen to leave her delicates to her touch only.

Stunned into speechlessness, she slowly exited the room and quietly closed the door behind her. Outside, the crew bustled about in preparations for sailing off and Jack stood at the other end of the ship, pacing back and forth by the helm, studying a map obsessively.

She made his way up to him, trying to be as quiet as possible for a reason she didn't even understand. Soon she was only two steps from the platform Jack was pacing on, and she waited patiently to be noticed, feeling to embarrassed to announce her presence herself.

Jack glanced her way, but that didn't stop him from walking back and forth, figuring out the proper heading they should take. "If I'm to leave Tortuga anytime today," he began absently, "I do believe you'll need to be on the shore, yes?"

She cleared her throat before speaking, "I wanted to thank you for making the Captain's quarters presentable."

He stopped pacing, rolled up the map, and faced her, "A few hours on a ship and you've got cabin fever. Really, Liz, a personality change I can handle but losing your sea legs? Why would I tidy the chambers, eh? Bonnie lass? I was leading you to nowhere, don't you remember?"

"I'm…sorry," she apologized, "You're right. There's no one else that has a chance of helping Will, and that's all I care about. I have to trust you, and you know it."

Jack took a moment to process her little speech, then smiled proudly. "Well then," he said, raising his voice, "Men, it appears that the lady has decided to accept our services after all!"

There was a collective cheer, followed by whistles and a couple of cat calls. Elizabeth rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. "One question," she began, regaining her strong composure.

He kept eye contact with her even as he spoke to his men, "Hold yer glee, lads!" After the men groaned with disappointment he continued. "I am ever at your service, as pathetic as that sounds."

She bit the inside of her lip as she stared at him, "Is this a real chance at helping Will? Because if it's not I really should be trying to find another way, and I don't want to be away from home any longer than I have to."

"And what, prey tell, is so important at your idyllic little home, then?"

"It's where my life is," she replied, shifting her weight without realizing it, "I've been there ten years. I love the people there."

He studied her for a moment, squinting an eye and cocking his head to the side. After a second or two of her squirming under his gaze, he snapped out of it, snatched his telescope that had been resting on the helm, and said, "Liz, I've been sailing the ocean for a long time now. I've found things I've liked, thing I've hated, things that poke, things that attack, things that chase, things that…" he paused for a moment, then came back to reality, "the point is that I've found things. Many things. Hundreds of things. If there's any man on this earth that knows about things, it is the man that stands before you, and let me tell you this: If there's another way to help your suddenly angry little husband then I am unaware of it. But this," he motioned to the ship around him, "is not a goose chase. Why would I take you out on the ocean to rum-knows-where on false hope, eh? It would waste my time, the crew's time, your time, it just wouldn't make any sense at all, not even to a pirate such as my loverly little self. So, hows about we start showing the teensiest bit of faith? Aye? Yes? Oui? Yes?"

"I've put my faith in you before Jack…" he pointed out, trailing off.

"Yes, well, out of all the times I haven't come through, how many times did you perish?" When she didn't answer, he pointed the telescope in her face and exclaimed triumphantly, "Exactly! Now, are we done with the serious bits because I have a ship to run." She nodded and he announced to the crew, "Brighten up lads, she's stayin' on board!"

When the crew looked at each other, unsure of what to believe, Elizabeth yelled, "I'm staying on board!" and the crew gave out fresh hoots of approval.

Jack set the telescope back down on the helm and picked up the bottle of rum that was next to it, planting his feet in a firm stance and holding the drink above his head. "Scallywags!" he announced, "I want this ship to shove off the very moment I finish this rum!"

The crew froze for a moment, exchanged glances, then went into overdrive mode, scampering about and hurrying things along.

They knew they didn't have much time.


	5. Chapter Five: Bored

**Chapter Five:**

Hours had drifted by since departure, and things had settled into a regular routine as the sun set behind them. The crew was calmly bustling about, Jack was at the helm, and Elizabeth was sprawled out in front of the helm, yawning. She had been somewhat excited to get out to see at first, but the feeling soon wore off as she found that there was just as much to do on this ship as there was any other during a voyage, which was nothing.

"If I don't find something to do I'll go stir crazy," she promised, half to herself.

Jack couldn't help but comment in a wonderfully chipper tone, "Well let me dance a jig for you, my lady. Oh wait, I happen to be running a ship at the moment, _my_ mistake."

She groaned at his sarcasm and pushed herself into a sitting position, pulling her legs to her chest and studying the end of her dress. A moment of silence slipped by before she spoke. "Jack," she began, looking up and craning her neck to get a look at him as she spoke, "What's the name of this ship, anyway? I didn't bother to look when I came on board."

"Surprise, surprise," he muttered to himself, then he cleared his throat, "I haven't thought one up as of yet."

Standing up, she leaned on the helm and blocked his view, "Just because you haven't named it yet doesn't mean the previous owner hadn't either."

He grinned quickly, "Fascinating observation. Kindly step out of the way, yes? This is all for you, if you remember even remotely well."

"What's the name?" she asked again, leaning in towards him.

He leaned back farther than he needed to, "What difference does a silly ol' name, make?"

"You've piqued my curiosity."

Seizing the opportunity, he leaned in close, "I thought I'd done that years ago, Elizabeth."

"Mrs. Turner," she corrected coldly, her eyes narrowing as she turned around to face the open ocean. "Fine, be a-"

"Pirate?"

She glanced over shoulder, "_Child_."

"Same thing, on occasion."

When she didn't respond, the angry silence nearly slapped him in the face. Letting out an exasperated sigh, he fidgeted with the wheel, adjusted his hat, and tried to busy himself as much as possible as he mumbled something that was barely audible. She picked up the sound, however, and half turned toward him.

"What was that?" she inquired, crossing her arms across her chest.

He mumbled a little louder this time, but the words were still indiscernible. Facing him fully now, she cocked her head to one side.

"Say that again," she demanded lightly, now thoroughly intrigued.

"Canary Flight!" he exclaimed, waving his arms about, "The blasted name of the blasted ship is Canary Flight, alright? Are we satisfied now?"

There was a moment of pure shock displayed on Elizabeth's face, then she busted out laughing, doubling over to steady herself. He rolled his eyes and took hold of the helm once more, pouting stubbornly.

"Of all the ships," she began through her laughter, "in all the ports of Tortuga, you steal the one named Canary Flight? What, did you want to kill your enemies with laughter, is that it? What kind of pirate steals the Canary Flight?"

"Yes, yes, well I wasn't exactly concerned with the ship's name while I was relievin' it, now was I?"

"Oh, but it's such a wonderful name, Jack, really!" she teased, "Why, I can't think of one decent pirate who wouldn't want a ship of this very name."

"Do you think Will would've relieved a ship with a stronger name, is that it? Your beloved heartless husband could do better than a pirate with all his squishy bits?"

Elizabeth's face fell. Bowing her head, she turned her back on him, her eyes once again scanning the blank horizon. Will. She was on this journey for him, his very sanity was at stake, and she was laughing over the name of a ship. She bit her lip, trying to hold back the tears of guilt that were pushing to be released. Her son was at stake, too. He was cooped up in a boarding school, shoved away by his mother so she could go make sure that he had a father to look up to from now on.

The gravity of the situation sat in her stomach, heavy and dense. She had kept her emotions at bay, skirting on the top of the dilemma in an attempt to look strong and able, and now it was consuming her.

She heard Jack's voice whisper from his place at the helm. "Liz…"

She turned and sprinted past him, heading straight for the Captain's quarters and ignoring any of the crew members she happened to pass. Jack turned and stared after her, his brow furrowed and his mouth tight.

He almost let go of the helm to chase after her, but decided against it at the last second.

………

Elizabeth was sprawled out on the large bed, nearly choking on her tears. She had done nothing but lie there for hours now, staring at the ceiling and cursing herself for behaving so foolishly. This was by no means a vacation, this was a rescue mission, and she had fooled herself into believing that everything was fine when it was exactly the opposite. Jack didn't know if the man they were going to see would even _be _there, let alone be able to help, and if this voyage led to a dead end…

She closed her eyes and shook her head, trying to force herself to think of something else. Rolling over, she felt something hard press against her cheek from under the pillow and jerked back with minor surprise. Reaching under the soft cushion, her fingertips touched glass.

Before she withdrew the object, she knew what it was.

In her hand was a bottle of rum.

The only aspect that caught her off guard was the fact that it was full and not spent. She sat up and stared at the bottle, unable to keep from smiling to herself, though she didn't know why.

A knock at the door shattered her thoughts. Leaving the rum on the bed, she got up and answered the door. Standing before her was Jack Sparrow, one hand behind his back and one hand balancing a plate filled with chicken and cut up potatoes, with a ridiculously wide grin on his face.

"This is your lucky voyage," he announced, gliding into the room and setting the plate down on the desk, "I managed to acquire some salt before we left." When he turned and saw her inquisitive expression he mockingly let down his act, "Alright the salt was already on board. I can't hide from a look that piercing in nature." He took her by the hand and led her towards the table. "Now you eat up, little miss, while I pull the curtains open just a teensy bit so you can see the sunset." She sat down, smiling softly at his attempts to cheer her up as he pranced over to the windows and flung the curtains aside, revealing a sun that was just moments away from disappearing into the horizon. Turning around, he spread his arms out. "Just in time," he announced triumphantly. "You eat, my sincerest apologies for the lack of a proper fork, and I'll get me onesy below deck with the other scallywags."

As he passed behind her to get the door, she grabbed his sleeve, "Wait," she said.

He let her halt his exit, looking over his shoulder and eyeing the grip she had on him. Swallowing hard, she hesitated for a split second. After being alone, wallowing in her predicament for so long, it was nice to have a little diversion from reality, even if it was only a temporary one.

She let go of him and asked, "Would you mind…having dinner with me?"

"I would in a heartbeat, lass," he began, grinning slightly, "But to tell the truth-"

"The _what_?"

He raised an eyebrow, but didn't acknowledge her interruption, "I've already eaten."

"Oh," she said, only somewhat successful in hiding her disappointment.

His eyes wandered around the room in thought, then he smiled as he caught sight of the bottle of rum. "Ah, so _that's_ where the little bugger's been hiding all this time." Waltzing over to the bed, he snatched up the bottle, taking the cork out and inhaling the scent of its contents. "While I have eaten dinner," he said, gesturing with the bottle, "I do have yet to drink dessert."

He plopped down on the bed and took his first generous swig as she started to take the meat off the chicken leg. "Where did you find the crew?" she asked, trying to avoid awkward silence.

He shrugged as he absent mindedly stared into the bottle, "You can find anyone in Tortuga if you know which rocks to look under. Fishy business, turning rocks."

"But that's why you're the Captain and they're the crew, right?" she said with a smile.

He paused just before taking another sip of rum, chuckled lightly to himself, then poured a but more of the rum down his throat. Swallowing easily, he swung his feet up onto the bed so he could lay on his side, one hand propping up his head and the other nursing the bottle.

As she ate, she noticed that he was studying her, and rather intensely at that. Her nerves started to tighten and she shifted in her seat, uncomfortable under such a heavy stare. Finishing off her chicken, she couldn't help but look up at him.

She tried not to sound uneasy. "What?"

"Hm? Oh," he replied, somewhat snapping out of his trance, "I didn't say anything?"

"No…" she said, shaking her head slightly.

"Huh…well that's interesting."

"What did you think you said?"

He cleared his throat before taking another sip of rum, then he said, "I would've sworn on my hat that I'd asked you about your little scene earlier."

Without realizing it, every muscle in her body tensed up. "What about the…scene?"

"Well, don't call me a gentleman or anything nasty like that, but I was just wonderin' if everything was as right as it could be in that confusing little brain of yours."

She was pleasantly surprised, to say the least. "Jack, that is the sweetest-" He waved off her compliment and she shifted her weight yet again, trying to figure out how she would answer. "I suppose I just…"

It was at that moment that she realized just how difficult it was going to be to admit everything that was going on in her head, and she helplessly let the overwhelmed sensation fill her. It wasn't always easy for her to open up, let alone to a man like Jack.

Noticing her conflicted expression, he stood up from the bed leaned on the table in a half sitting, half standing position, looking down at her with solemn features, an emotion rarely seen on the great Jack Sparrow.

With a graceful hand, he reached forward and tilted her chin up, forcing her to look him in the eye. "Elizabeth," he said softly, "Will isn't the only thing you're concerned with, is it?"

He was talking about her son without knowing it, and her eyes went wide. Why was she so afraid of him finding out about Jim? What business was it of his, anyway? Him knowing about her son had nothing to do with anything, so why was her throat closing whenever she tried to speak up and tell the truth? Most importantly: Why, in the midst of her mind running a million miles a second, was everything in her body concentrated on the fact that he was still holding her chin?

She was barely aware of the fact that she was speaking. "It's Jim."

He arched an eyebrow. "The butler?"

"No, he's not a butler," she began, fighting to breathe.

A member of the crew barged in, making Elizabeth jump a foot out of her chair and Jack slip off the table, landing on the floor with a hearty thud.

"Cap'n!" the crewman shouted, waving a piece of paper above his head and making his way over to Jack, "A crow just delivered this to the crow's nest."

Jack, now propped up on his elbows, was still breathing heavily. "Knocking, Mr. Farney, _knocking_ is what makes the world go 'round, savvy?" He pushed himself into a loose stance and snatched the piece of paper from the man's hands.

When Elizabeth saw Jack's face fall, she stood up. "What's happened?"

"What? Nothing, absolutely nothing," Jack lied with grace and a smile.

"Nothin' cap'n?" Farney said with surprise, "But it says there that the man wants his ship back, and Coglin's just reported a ship in sight off the port bow!"

Jack glared at his cremember. "Yes, _thank you_, Mr. Farney, I was just getting around to that."

"What?!" Elizabeth yelled, turning and dashing outside.

Farney followed her immediately, but Jack stayed behind to take a nice long gulp of rum. "Well this wasn't what I had in mind," he mumbled to himself, setting the bottle down, "but at least there's something to do."

He straightened his hat and waltzed outside, note in hand and plan in mind.


	6. Chapter Six: Smollusk

So yeah…it's been a while….don't kill me…please?

….

Thank you.

* * *

**Chapter Six: Smollusk**

Elizabeth stood on the deck, her arms crossed. Just as the crewman had said, there was a ship off the port bow, and it was closing in fast. The best part was that the ship definitely belonged to East India Trading Company.

Jack waltzed up behind her, waving the letter about as he gestured. "Oh, the EIC, is it? They do love me."

She snatched the letter from his grasp and read it over. Once the contents of the note had sunken in, she whirled around and got right in the Captain's face.

"This says that he would rather have the ship _sink_ than be commandeered by pirates! That means if we don't surrender, he'll kill us all!" she yelled.

"Yes, Miss. Turner," Jack replied calmly, "Despite your exceedingly low opinion of me, I can read. Men!" he shouted to his crew, "Prepare to flee!"

Throwing the note over her shoulder, she yelled to the men herself, "Ignore that order, fly the white flag!"

Jack grabbed Elizabeth, covering her mouth forcefully. "Is there a brain in there? _Anywhere_? Please let me know, the suspense is torturous."

"I could ask you the same question," she said, pushing him off.

"We run first. If we're caught, we fight."

"But if you _surrender_ there will still be a ship to claim!"

"Hard to claim a prize when you're stuck in the gallows."

"But you're _alive_ in the gallows!"

He pressed his index finger to his lips in an attempt to hush her. "Am I mistaken, or are you not the Captain of this ship?"

"I'd die before I was the Captain of anything called the Canary Flight."

"Captain!" Farney yelled from the bow, "they're nearly upon us!"

"There," Elizabeth said with triumph, "No point in running now. You may as well surrender. You know you don't stand a chance in a battle."

Jack glared at her with a frustrated passion. "Alright. We surrender, only to take back the ship later. I've gotten out of worse before." As she smiled victoriously he was quick to add, "There will come a time when you don't win, Liz." She kept grinning and made her way to the center of the ship. "I'm right, you know!" He yelled after her.

A few minutes later Jack, Elizabeth, and the rest of the crew were all lined up on the deck with the white flag of surrender flying high. The Captain and Miss Turner stood in the center of the line, neither one looking at the other. A rowboat had been deployed from the EIC ship a while ago, it was only a matter of time before the Canary Flight was swarming with authorities.

The moment a fancy hat was spotted coming over the side of the ship, Jack seized Elizabeth's hands and held them behind her back. Acting on reflex, she started fighting against him.

"Jack, what are you-"

"Shut up!" he demanded loudly, tightening his hold.

When a few soldiers had their feet planted firmly on the ship, Elizabeth managed to wriggle away from Jack, but only for an instant. Jack snatched her wrist, pulled her to him, and backhanded her firmly across the face. She was stunned by his action, but not paralyzed by it. Shoving him off of her, she stumbled backward and into one of the soldiers.

"What's going on?" the soldier asked, holding her by the arm, "Why have they taken you prisoner, miss?"

"But…" she began, looking back at Jack.

The Captain was staring at her with the most devious, knowing grin she had ever seen on his face. It all clicked in her brain then, and at last she knew what was going on.

Feigning innocence, she looked at the soldier, "They picked me up at the last port. The Captain decided to take me prisoner after I beat him up so badly he could barely see straight."

Glancing over at Jack, she was delighted to watch the devilish smirk drop off his face.

The ship tipped to the side then, and everyone looked over to watch a huge ball of a man climb on board. Jack's eyes widened as the more than portly man waddled up to them, eyes blazing with anger.

"Who's the leader here?" he demanded, his deep voice booming.

"I am," Jack admitted, stepping forward.

"You're the one who stole my ship?"

"That I did. Captain Jack Sparrow, at your service…" he looked the man over, "…tubby."

"Tubby?"

"Oh, I beg your pardon, is globe a better description?"

"My name is Captain Smollusk," he corrected, getting right in Jack's face, "You would do well to remember that."

Coughing at the smell of the man's breath, Jack said, "I doubt I'll be forgetting it soon, mate. Might I recommend a quick brush of the teeth? The smell of the children you had for lunch is more than present."

Pointing a finger in Jack's face, Smollusk warned, "I'd watch your words, pirate. You're destined to be hanged at Port Royal, as is the rest of your bleedin' crew, but I could be convinced to forego the formalities and snap your neck here and now." He spoke over his shoulder to bark orders at the soldiers, "Take them all to the cells below deck."

The soldier holding Elizabeth spoke up, "What about her, sir? Seems she was only taken prisoner for pounding the pirate Captain into oblivion, sir."

Smollusk smiled, revealing a mouthful of rotting teeth, and poked Jack in the shoulder. "Taken down by a lady, eh?"

Jack glared at Elizabeth as he spoke, "She has quite a right hook, you'll find."

Smollusk laughed in his face, "She goes free."

"I'd be careful about the laughing," Jack quipped, "too much exercise and you'll lose a few pounds."

In a flash, Smollusk drew out his pistol and smashed the butt into Jack's temple, knocking the Captain to the ground. Elizabeth had to bite her tongue to keep from calling his name as she watched him slowly push himself to his feet. The guards seized the crew then, including Jack, and dragged them all below deck. For the time being, all Elizabeth could do was watch. She was, however, already hatching a plan. It probably wasn't as brilliant as what Jack had in mind, but it was a plan at least.


	7. Chapter Seven: A Somewhat Master Plan

**Chapter Seven: A (Somewhat) Master Plan**

Elizabeth crept along the deck of the Canary Flight, careful to stay out of the night watchman's view. Sneaking down below deck, she tiptoed past the crew's sleeping area and into the rickety prison. There were six cells in all, two men in each cell. A quick look around revealed that Jack was passed out on the floor of the first cell to her left, his face turned away from her. Kneeling down next to the bars, she reached out and was barely able to graze the pirate's shoulder. Luckily, it was somehow enough to wake him up. Rolling his head to the other side, she could see his features now as he lazily opened his eyes. When he finally figured out who he was staring at, he started moving a little faster, but not much.

"How can you sleep at a time like this?" she whispered.

"Forgive me," he mumbled quietly, "my powers of persuasion are weak against things such as nature."

He propped himself up against the wall, his legs stretching out parallel to the bars Elizabeth was looking through. She stayed resting on her knees, holding onto the bars in case she needed to move quickly and push herself up into a stance.

Jack cleared his throat, "So what, prey tell, do you want with me?"

"How's your head?" she asked, unknowingly tilting her head to the side.

"The thoughts are as blurry as they've ever been." He shifted his weight slightly. "Your cheek?"

"Hitting me wasn't necessary."

He looked her in the eye for a moment. "I don't believe I inquired about the necessity of my action, Liz. Besides…it was necessary."

"No it wasn't."

"On the contrary."

"No it's not."

"They would not have believed you otherwise."

"You don't know that."

"Because I ensured the plan's success. Thank you for agreeing, it warms my heart so."

Tightening her grip on the bars, she changed the subject. "How long have you been sleeping?"

"Not long."

She was mildly hopeful. "Then you have a plan?"

"Surrendering to the gurgling, fleshy land mass of a man was your idea, my dear. I just as well assumed that _you_ held the master plan in that pretty head of yours."

"I have an idea, yes." Out of paranoia she glanced around to make sure no one was listening before divulging her thoughts. "I'll sneak back into the Captain's quarters-"

"_Back_ into?"

"Yes, that's where I'm sleeping."

"Ah, then where might Mr. Earth Rumbler be staying?"

Even though she knew what was coming, she answered him anyway. "The Captain's quarters."

The inevitable sly grin tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Cozy, eh?"

"Actually no," she said flatly, "they moved a cot from the crew's area up to the room so I could sleep on it while Smollusk took the bed."

"I'm sure."

"I could let you hang at Port Royal, you know."

"And let poor William go on with his evil soul?" he said with a mock pout.

Gritting her teeth, she picked up where she left off, "I'll sneak back into the Captain's quarters and get the key to the prison. While I'm gone, you wake everyone up and let them know what's going on. I'll come back down here, let you all out, and we can get the jump on the guards, forcing them into the prison."

"What of the pig man?"

"I…I don't know."

"Me neither."

"What? You said yourself that you've gotten out of worse before."

"That hardly translates to having dealt with disposing of a whale before."

A new voice entered into the conversation, "So here you are."

Shooting up into a stance, Elizabeth turned to see Smollusk enter the prison. Jack clumsily followed her example.

"My my," Jack said, "Speak of the food monger. How ever did you sneak in? The slosh of your stomach contents is enough to wake a dead man. You really must-"

"_Silence_," Smollusk ordered, wobbling swiftly over to Elizabeth and taking her by the wrist. "Who are you? His sister? Wife? Whore?"

"Nothing of the sort," she replied, trying to wrench free of his rubbery grasp.

"Then what could possibly motivate you to aid a pirate?"

For some reason, the first thing to pop out of her mouth was, "The code."

Jack and Smollusk spoke at the same time, "The code?"

"Yes," she answered, "The pirate code. I'm bound by them like any executor of piracy."

"A woman pirate?" Smollusk said, only mildly surprised, "A rarity indeed."

"Indeed," Jack echoed, smiling from ear to ear.

"You'll swing at Port Royal with the rest of the lot," the burly Captain swore, "but I must admit, this is a pleasant turn of events."

All of her muscles tensed, she didn't like where this was going. "A pleasant turn?"

Pushing her up against the bars that held Jack captive, Smollusk leered in her face, "A feminine pirate is all for the taking, wouldn't you agree?"

"I would disagree," Jack chimed in, his face popping up next to Elizabeth's, "No man of stature, such as yourself, would lower his worth down to that of a pirate. _That_ I would agree to."

Smollusk scoffed and began to drag Elizabeth to the exit. Reaching through the bars, Jack caught the man by his sleeve, holding fast.

"A final warning, mate," Jack began, his voice now dangerously low, "an unwanted hand on a woman warrants a swift punishment from the likes of me, savvy?"

Smollusk merely chuckled and shrugged him off, shoving Elizabeth through the exit and that much closer to the Captain's quarters.


	8. Chapter Eight: The Cavalry

**Author's Note: **::slaps own wrist:: I know, I know, bad fic author. I vanished for a while, didn't I? Well I'm back now, so put down the pitchforks and tomatoes...pretty please?

I'll stick it out this time, scout's honor. I re-read the previous chapters and realized how much fun this was, so I'm diving back in. =D

And off we go!

* * *

**Chapter Eight: The Cavalry**

Smollusk entered the Captain's quarters first, with Elizabeth being forced to follow close behind. In one quick motion, she used all of her strength to yank her hand from his grasp and dash for the door. He had a quicker reaction time than she had anticipated, which allowed him to snatch her by the hair and pull her back into the room.

"Guard!" he called to the night watchman, "Bring me a pair of shackles!"

He held her by the hair, careful to keep her at arm's length. She could only flail and fight so much before she felt her hair start to rip out.

In a flash, the guard had brought the Captain the shackles he requested, and he took her over to the bed, handcuffing her right arm to the bed post and sticking the key in his breast pocket. She tried to lash out at him, but he stepped away before she could catch any of his flesh. Silently waddling over to the dresser, he opened the top door and withdrew a pistol.

"Now," he began, aiming it at her head, "where would you like to begin?"

She stared down the barrel of the gun, unafraid but still cautious. "We could start with you releasing me."

"Where's the amusement in that, my lady?"

"Don't call me that," she snapped, "very few men are allowed to call me that."

He started slowly advancing toward her, "And how many men are allowed, I wonder?" he inquired, his tone dripping with clumsy innuendo.

"Not many," she answered through gritted teeth.

Pressing the pistol into her cheek, he pressed their bodies together in an awkward fashion as he said, "Oh I very much doubt that." He cocked the weapon. "Undo your dress."

Her lip curled slightly with disgust, the vile stench that he radiated nearly made her wretch then and there. Swallowing her abhorrence, she reached up and started tugging at the lace at the top of her dress.

"Do you do this to every woman you come across?" she asked rather flatly.

Preoccupied with watching the motions of her hand, all he did was mumble, "Nearly."

"Have any of them ever enjoyed it?" she said, her voice dropping down almost a full octave and taking on a lilting edge.

She got his attention then, and he ripped his eyes away from her body long enough to look at her face. She stopped undoing her dress and slowly ran her hand through his hair, standing on her toes to match his height. His eyes wide with a mixture of shock and excitement, she felt his thick, meaty free hand rest on her hip.

Unable to stand it any longer, Elizabeth dug her nails into the back of his head and scratched as deep into his flesh as she could possibly muster. As he cried out in pain and stumbled backward, she snatched the pistol out of his hand. After a series of swears and grunts he looked like he was about to charge, and she calmly trained the gun on his bloated face.

"Put the key in my other hand," she demanded, "you have five seconds."

Smollusk's face was turning a furious shade of red. "Ungrateful-"

"Five."

"How dare-"

"_Four_."

In a flash of a movement he had her by the wrist, trying to pry her fingers from the butt of the pistol. Panicking, she twisted her wrist and pulled the trigger. The shot shattered the otherwise silent night and he reeled backward, blood spraying from his neck as he fell to the ground. Elizabeth just stood there with a slack jaw and stared as the man slowly started to die in front of her.

The window shattered suddenly, and Jack Sparrow swung into the room on a thick rope, sword drawn.

Barely landing on his feet, he wasn't focusing on anyone in particular when he yelled, "Unhand the damsel you overstuffed, eh, monkey!"

After a moment of silence she said, "Jack?"

"What?" he answered quickly, still on alert.

"I think he's…"

He glanced over at Elizabeth, and then they both looked down at Smollusk, who was now resting in a rather large pool of his own blood, unmoving. Taking small, shuffling steps and sheathing his sword, Jack made his way over to the body, leaning forward and trying to get the best look possible without getting too close.

"Well," he commented matter-of-factly, "I was partially concerned about running out of food during this voyage but thanks to your heroic efforts I believe we're set for the next decade or two."

"How did you get out?"

"I always manage to think of leverage at the last possible moment," he answered absently, kicking the body's foot and leaping backward for fear of it coming alive.

"The key is in his front pocket."

"Key?" he said, looking over at her.

She stepped to the side so she could display her predicament. "It's in his front pocket," she repeated.

"Ah," he said with a growing comprehension, bending over and snatching the key from its resting place, "I do remember a situation like this arising quite some time ago." He made his way towards her.

"Jack," she warned, "hand me the key."

He held it out in front of himself, "Not quite so enjoyable when you're the one shackled is it, my lady?"

"That gunshot was heard by everyone on this ship, we don't have much time!"

Stepping towards her, he dangled the key just out of her reach, "Pity I have no vicious beastie to make the irony particularly poignant, eh?"

She turned the pistol around in her hands so she was holding the barrel and smacked him in the side of the head. He swore in pain and dropped the key at her feet. She was quick to pick it up and, as she freed herself, he rubbed his minor wound.

"That's the second time tonight!" he complained.

The shackles fell open and she let them clatter to the floor, "I'm surprised you felt anything through all of that mess you call hair."

He shook off the rest of the pain and straightened up, "Let's not get _personal_ now. Even a pirate's got feelings."

The footsteps of oncoming soldiers were heard then and, without saying another word, they stood by opposite sides of the door and waited. Jack drew his sword, Elizabeth readied her pistol, and before they knew it the door swung open and two guards rushed into the room. Unfortunately, Jack had been standing on the side where the door would swing when opened and was rightly knocked off balance. Elizabeth swung the butt of her pistol and landed it right on the back on one of the guards' heads, sending him to the ground. Jack pushed the door back as if he was retaliating against the thing itself and then remembered that there were other people in the room. He looked at Elizabeth, Elizabeth looked at the guard, the guard looked at both of them, and then Jack promptly ran the man through with his blade and stepped out of the way when he fell to the ground.

Now in a room with three presumably dead men, Jack looked at his partner in crime. "That was a lovely bit of teamwork, wouldn't you say"

Elizabeth ignored his comment and started rifling through the bedside table, "We've got to find the prison keys."

"Don't ask me, I wouldn't know where to look," he admitted, "All the keys I've had to deal with have been in the slimy traps of filthy mongrels." He stopped to think. "Dogs too, every now and again."

"Not a problem," she assured him, turning around and holding a set of keys up with a sense of victory.

She fled the room and Jack followed behind her with his usual swagger. They dashed below deck and into the gallows, all too aware that time was something that was definitely not on their side. In a flash, all of Jack's men were free as birds and awaiting instructions.

"Right," the captain said, swinging his sword above his head and almost taking his hat off in the process, "Anything not resembling the lady or my pretty façade gets a knock on the head and their very own prison cell. Aye?"

"Aye!" the men shouted in unison, running up the stairs and onto the deck like a herd of cattle. A herd of cattle that smelled much, much worse.

Jack put his sword away and flashed Elizabeth a prideful smile, "Well then, bonnie lass, the troubled times have seemed to pass." His eyes shot upward in thought as he realized that he had rhymed.

"I know you like to run from a fight," she pointed out with only a hint of humor as she stepped towards him, "But I haven't had the chance to swash some of that buckle you've been going on about in quite a while, so if you would be so kind…"

She grabbed the hilt of his sword and went to withdraw it, but his hand covered hers and kept her from completing the action. The sudden resistance threw off her balance as she did her best to avoid bumping into him. They were now in impossibly close quarters, they were both keenly aware of that fact, and they both had decidedly different opinions about it.

"Is that a thirst for piracy I see in those sweet little peepers," Jack teased softly, "Or are you just itching to get back home to your dear little son?"

Her eyes widened as she felt her stomach turn over. With a solid yank, she pulled his sword out and backed away, trying to think of something, _anything_ to say. Jack stood before her with his dancing, penetrating stare focused intently on her face, drinking in her reaction as if it was rum itself.

When her mind remained a complete blank, she turned and darted up the stairs. As he watched her flee, he let the faintest flicker of a grin dance across his lips.

One of these days she would have nowhere to run.


End file.
